What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On the afternoon of August 18, 2018, N88HK, a pietenpol air camper experimental amateur built aircraft departed montezuma airpark (19AZ) Camp Verde, AZ., for a flight with a passenger to cottonwood airport (P52), intending to return to AZ19. After several hours, the wife of the pilot reported the flight missing. Aircraft wreckage is located two miles east of 19AZ pointed east. Aircraft appeared to have come straight down in about a 30-degree nose down attitude, with no rotational component signature evident. Propeller showed no signs of rotation at impact. Slight fuel odor detectable on August 19. First responder the night before reported definite odor of gasoline. Engine was partially dissembled showed no evidence of mechanical failure. Engine was partially dissembled and there was no evidence of mechanical failure or abnormality.
As the FAA filed it
ON THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 18, 2018, N88HK, A PIETENPOL AIR CAMPER EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MONTEZUMA AIRPARK (19AZ) CAMP VERDE, AZ., FOR A FLIGHT WITH A PASSENGER TO COTTONWOOD AIRPORT (P52), INTENDING TO RETURN TO AZ19. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, THE WIFE OF THE PILOT REPORTED THE FLIGHT MISSING. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE IS LOCATED TWO MILES EAST OF 19AZ POINTED EAST. AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE COME STRAIGHT DOWN IN ABOUT A 30-DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, WITH NO ROTATIONAL COMPONENT SIGNATURE EVIDENT. PROPELLER SHOWED NO SIGNS OF ROTATION AT IMPACT. SLIGHT FUEL ODOR DETECTABLE ON AUGUST 19. FIRST RESPONDER THE NIGHT BEFORE REPORTED DEFINITE ODOR OF GASOLINE. ENGINE WAS PARTIALLY DISSEMBLED SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE. ENGINE WAS PARTIALLY DISSEMBLED AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR ABNORMALITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.